Bowling ball



JmL-29,1946. Jp. HUBBARD 2,393,908

BOWLING BALL Filed Sept. 8, 1943 Patented. Jan. 29, 19.46

,Application september s, 1941s, serial Ne. 25o-mae f5 Claims. .(ol. 2x3- 63) whichV segmentbne or more of the depressions used .for holding-the ballare .located .so as 'to vbe adjustable with respectnto :one yor ,more of .the customary Iholding ldepressions :located in .the ball structure proper.

.A still further l'object :of I,the invention-:is (the provision of a bowling `balLAthe lholding or :grippingrmeans .of which ,is :positioned .in "two sections thereof, the sections otherwise being approximately duplicates 'in size and shape and balance.

The invention disclosed herein contemplates the provision of a bowling ball in which the finger and thumb holes, the means by which the ball is normally held, are adjustable with respect to one another thereby providing a bowling ball readily adaptable to any or all sized hands and nger lengths. The bowling ball disclosed herein is otherwise exactly symmetrical, of even balance and capable of being used in bowling the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it

being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a center line, cross sectional, side elevation of a bowling ball formed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a bowling ball formed in accordance with a modification of the invention, the adjustable portions comprising oppositely disposed halves.

By referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, a cross sectional elevation of a bowling ball will be seen formed in accordance with the invention and it will be observed that the major portion thereof is indicated by the numeral I and that a smaller movable portion thereof is indicated by the numeral Il. The portion II forms a. segment of the ib'all and is `normally held in .theposition fil# lustra'ted in'Figure lv whereby the exterior vsurface of the Ibo'wlingiball isfsmoothfzand unbroken for :desirable bowling @ball characteristics. TI Figure 1 the segment I.-I isashown movably-f-affixed .to the VVball lportion .I0 '.by'means 'of a circular ratchet assembly, the lupper portion of vwhich is indicated-bythe numeral I2 and the lower portion' `by thelunumera'l JIiI.V Thesettwo sections of Lthe ratchet assembly are .aixed Yto the segment Il and the ball portionel'll, :respectively, lby means .of `a plurality .of screws'flil and I5. A bolt I6 is positioned centrally throufgh'the e ratchet assembly comprising the `portions I'2 and .t3 .and aextends'downwardly toward the center` most section -of the ball where kit :passes through a .tensioning spring I'I Vand 'threadably fengages a movably positioned combined bolt and bushing I8. This construction serves to normally hold the segment il tightly against the ball portion I0 although it permits the segment II to be rotated as the segment will rise upwardly in accordance with the ratchet I2 and. I3 compressing the spring I8 in so doing. This permits the segment to be revolved on the axis of the bolt I6 in order to alter the location of the holding or,

gripping means I9 therein with respect to the holding or gripping means 20 positioned in the main portion I0 of the ball. It is understood that the conventional number of finger and thumb holes are provided and that either the thumb hole or finger holes may be located in the revolvable segment II. However, it is believed that the desirable construction is as shown wherein the hole I9 forms the thumb hole while one of the linger holes is represented by the numeral 20, and another by the numeral 20A.

The bolt I6 must be adjusted in assembling the ball and a drilled opening 2| is, therefore, provided through the center of the revolvable segment I6 and is in the nished ball permanently closed with a plug 22, the exterior surface of which conforms exactly with the exterior surface of the segment I I.

It will thus be-seen that the construction shown permits the ready adjustment of the holding holes I9 with respect to those indicated by the numeral 20 and thereby permits the grip area on the ball to be varied in accordance with the individual requirements of the user. It is obvious that the balance of the ball may be kept in exact conformance with a solid ball by'utilizing materials for the various parts of the ratchet and bolt assembly which will not weigh more than the material of the ba11-removed for their positioning.' n win benoten m this respect that prising the portions l2 and I3 is hollow to off-set anyV additional weight of Athese parts. The iinished ball is, therefore, exactly balanced.

In Figure 2 a Yman view of 'a modified form of the invention willfbe seen, the modication consisting of positioningzthe adjusting mechanism heretofore described inY connection Ywith Figure l Y Y jon a horizontal axis of the ball. which is indicated in Figure 2 by the numerals 23 and 24, the adjuste Y ment mechanism .being indicated generally by the Y numerals 25 and 2l and the plugged opening .inY

the upper half 23 being indicated by the numeral 26. In therball formed in accordance with theV modication illustrated in Figure 2 the` holding means comprising the finger and thumb holes indicated by the Vnumerals 28 and 29,?re`spectively,` are Lpositionedso that some lie on each side ofthe horizontal .axis of the ball and are, therefore,`

varable'withrespect to one anothereby rotating the halves'of the ball; The adjustment possible with this modified form of the ball is somewhat different from the'adjustmentv possible Iwith the construction set forth in Figure 1 lasthe sizesv of the movable portions of theball lare different.

It will thus be `seen that an adjustable bowling ball has been disclosed wherein the gripping pore tions comprising the thumb Yand finger holes may be readilyadjustedto suit vthe individuals ree quirements.

HavingV thus' described invention, what I claimisz, t

Vj 1. A bowling ball .having a segment thereof ro- Y tatably positioned with respect to the remainder',

means for holding the rotatable segment in any remainder'ofthe ball, ball gripping means posis the center section ofthe ratchet assembly com- Y proper and partly` in the;v

tioned partly in the ball rotatable segment. Y Y

2. A bowling ball comprising a ball, the main ball section having a smaller rotatable segment" pivotally positioned therein, meansfor holding the rotatable l.section in any one of a number of posi'- tions, and tensioning means positioned between the two portions vof the ball adapted to hold the same together, ball gripping meansV provided Yin therotatable segment andin the main ball section so as to provide for adjustment therebetween by vthe rotation of the said segment.

v thereto, a ratchet positioned between thetwo seging a smaller segment thereof rotatably afxed ments and means for normally holding the secs ti'ons'inclose relation, a thumb hole lpositioned in .therotatable segment and finger holes posi tioned in the main ball-portion. Y

`4. A bowling ball ':omprisingA oppositely-disposed equal halves rotatably positioned with respect to one another, tensioning means for holding the halves together and pivot means for permitting e "Y i the rotation of.v the halves with respect to one another,V ball' holding-,depressions positioned Ysome in one'ofthehalves of the ball and in the 'other Y half so'as to provider'for adjustment of the" disoneof anumber of locations with respect tothe tanceszvbetween the said holding/depressions; Y

5. A bowling ball comprising a ball section'hav ing' a smaller segment thereot rotatably ailixedY thereto, a ratchet positioned between the two o segments andmeans for normally holding the sections in close relation, inger holes positioned iii the rotatable segment and the thumbhole positioned in the main ball portion. n I 1 JOSEPH G. HUBBARD.-

443. A bowling ballcomprising a ball section havl 

